이산해 李山海
Leader of the Northerners faction who served as Chief State Councillor during King Seonjo's reign
| Life | 1539 ~ 1609 |
| Era | 조선 |
| Clan | 한산 이씨 |
Life & career
Yi San-hae came from the prestigious Hansan Yi clan, descended from Mogeun Yi Saek, and was a civil official during the reign of King Seonjo. For his merit in the Jonggye Byeonmu (correction of the royal genealogy), he was enrolled as a third-class Gwangguk merit subject and enfeoffed as Prince Aseong.
After serving as Right and Left State Councillor, he rose to Chief State Councillor in 1590, and after the Gichuk Oksa (literary purge), he became the leader of the Northerners (Bugin) faction and dominated the political scene. Skilled in prose and painting, he was regarded as the literary arbiter (munhyeong, 文衡) of King Seonjo's reign, and left the literary collection Agye Jip.
Grave
Bangsan-ri, Daesul-myeon, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
Descendants
His son Yi Gyeong-jeon rose to prominence as a civil official, and his son-in-law was Haneum Yi Deok-hyeong.